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l 4shees-s'heen 1. C'. W. ISBBLL 8f, W. H. TAYLOR. APPARATUS PUR GBVNERATINGGA-S.

(No Model.)

.0. W. ISBEL'L &' W. H. TAYLOR. APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GAS.'

t e e h S m e e l 4R 08 LA YG AG Tm .T HM .E Wm G &R Lm LS H U BM ma .m D.. WA C 1e.. d M o /N\ No. 372,803. Paten-ted Nov. 8, 1887.

' ALW (No Model.) 4sheets-sheen 4.. C. W. ISBELL 8v W. H. TAYLOR.

APPARATUS FOR'GBNERATING GAS.

Patented N Inyenv/m ff @m N. PETERS. Phamunhagmphm wnhinsmn. p. c,

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo CHARLES W. ISBELL AND WILLIAM H. TAYLOR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS -FOR GEN ERATING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,803, dated November 8. 1887.

' Application filed June 30, 1886. Serial No. 206,678.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that we, CHARLES W. IsBELL and WILLIAM H. TAYLOR, both of the city and county of New York, inthe State of New York,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Generating Gas, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to apparatus for making what is commonly known as watergas, which is generated by passing steam through a body of incandescent fuel, whereby the steam is decomposed, the hydrogen set free, and the oxygen combined with carbon to form car bonic oxide and carbonic acid, and by combining with the products of decomposition, either before or after their passage through incandescent fuel, and preferably after such passage, the vapo'r of naphtha or other liquid hydrocarbon. One form of generator for thus making gas, and an example of which is shown in our Letters Patent No. 322,608, dated July 21, 1885, comprises a double generator, or two generating-chambers which are provided with grates and pipes for admitting air-blast for blowing up the steam for decomposition, and which communicate near their top with each other, so that in generating gas the steam which is admitted below the grate in one cham ber passes upward through Athe body of fuel therein, and the products of colnplete or partial decompositi-on thence pass into the top of the next chamber and downward through the second body'of fuel. The products of combus- 1 tion in blowing up the generating-fires,l preparatory to decomposing the steam and for the purpose of raising such fires to a high point of incandescence, take the same course as the steam and products of decomposition in passing through the two generating-chambers. When steam is admitted to the generatingchambers for decomposition, the res become gradually cooled, and after a period-say onehalf an hour, or thereabout--it becomes again necessary to blow up the fires with air-blast. An important object of our invention is to provide a reservoir of heat between the two generatingchambers, wherein will be retained and stored up all, surplus heat while blowing up the generator, and which will give out such heat to the steam or products of decomposi tion in their passage from one chamber to the other. By this feature o f our invention (No model.)

we enable decomposition to be carried on for a longer time after each time blowing up the generating-furnace, and we also insure a more thorough and complete decomposition of the steam than has heretofore resulted from the operation of such apparatus.

This feature of our invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with a gas-genera tor comprising two chambers for `containing fuel, which are provided,severally,with grates and with pipes for admitting air for blowing up and steam for decomposition, and with valved gas-outlets below the grates, of'a superheater or superheating chamber containing fire -brick or other refractory material arranged between the two generator-chambers and communicating with both said generatorchambers above the fuel in them, whereby the products of combustion and decomposition in either chamber will be caused to pass from the upper part thereof through the superheating chamber and into the upper part of the other generator-chamber.

The superheater included in the above combination may advantageously consist of two upright chambers, which communicate with each other at the bottom and with the generator-chambers at the top and above the fuel therein, whereby the products of combustion, while blowing up, and the carbonio acid and hydrogen,while decomposing steam,are caused to pass downward and upward through said superheating-chambers in their course from one generator-chamber to the other.

Inf our Letters Patent above referred to we employ a vaporizer which is arranged within a conduit through which pass both the products of combustion while blowing up and the gas which results from the decomposition which is produced while blowing up is stored within asupply-reservoir or storage-tank,fr0m which it is supplied to aid in enriching the great volume of gas which is produced when steam is first turned on after blowing up. According to that patent the products of combustion and the gas were always effective in vaporizing the oil or uaphtha, and no provision was afforded for controlling such vaporization in case it might be excessive.

A further object of our present invention is to enable the vaporizin'g of naphtha or other of steam; and the quantity of naplitha-vapor- IOO hydrocarbon liquid to be secured under perfeet control; yand our invention consists in other novel combinations of parts, which include a vaporizer formed by transverse partitions in a conduit through which the products of combustion and the gas escape, and tubes counectingsueh partitions and forming around them a reservoir for hydrocarbon liquid and through them a passage for products of combustion and gas. Said combinations also include a by-pass pipe connecting the portions of the conduit on opposite sides of the vaporizer and valves whereby the passage of products of combustion and gas through the vaporizer and the by-pass may be controlled at the will of the operator. 1n case it is found that too much naphtha-vapor is being produced, the products of combustion or gas, as the case may be, are diverted from the vaporizer and passed through the hy-pass, so that they are not effective in heating the vaporizer. XVe also provide the by-pass pipe with an external jacket, which may be filled with iron scrap or other material, and which may serve as a superheater for the steam which is afterward admitted to the generator-chambers.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of au apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof, portions of the gas-conduit, including the vaporizer and bypass, being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the vaporizer, which is arranged in the conduit through which products of combustion and gas pass from the generator; and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the by-pass portion of the conduit, with its steam-superheatingjacket. Figs. 4 and 5 are upon a much larger scale than the remaining figures.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A A designate the two generator-chambers of a double gas-generator, which are respectively provided with grates b and with pipes b', which support the grates, and which are perforated for the free escape of air-blast for blowing up the chambers and of steam when employed for decomposition. At the top of each chamber is a feeding-throat, b2, which may be closed by a suitable cover, b3, and through which fuel is introduced in quantity as desired into the generator-chambers.

B designates a fixing furnace or chamber, through which the gas is passed after the naphtha or other oil-vapor has been added to it, in order to properly iixthe oil-vapor and convert it into a permanent gas. This fixing-chamber, also, is provided with a grate, b, supported by perforated pipes b', through which air-blast may enter below the grate for blowing up the enters the top of the fixing-chamber, as we shall hereinafter describe, passes downward through the fire in the fixing-chamber and issues therefrom through a gas-conduit, c, into a wash-box, C, and from the wash-box escapes for storage or other purpose through a conduit, C.

The air for blowing up is supplied from any suitable blower or apparatus through a supply-pipe, b, and therefrom is conducted through distributing-pipes b5, in which are suitable valves, b4, to the perforated pipes b', which are below the grate. These valves b* and distributing-pipes b5 are arranged to supply the airblast separately to either of the generator-chambers A A or to the fixingchamber B. The steam is supplied to the pipes b' of the generator-chambers A A from a steam-supply pipe, d, through distributingpipes d', provided with suitable valves, and the steam to be employed may betaken from a boiler properly located and may be superv heated in any suitable manner--for example, by a superheater, which we shall hereinafter describe.

Between the generator-chambers A A' are superheating-chambers D D', which are filled nearly to the top with tire-brick, tiles, or other suitable refractory material, and which communicate, respectively, by throats or passages c c2, with the two generator-chambers A A. The material within the superheater-chambers D D is supported by au arch, D, at the bottom, as shown in Fig. 1, and iu which are perforations, so as to afford a free communication between the two chambers D D at the bottom.

When air-blast is admitted below the grate of one chamber-the chamber A, for exaluple-in order to blow up the fires, the blast and products of combustion pass upward through the fuel in the chamber A, thence through the throat c', and downward through the brick or refractory material in the chamber D, thence upward through the same material in the chamber D,'and through the throat c2 to the generator-chamber A', and thence downward through the fuel therein, making its escape below thegrate of the chamber A. When air-blast is admitted below the grate in the chamber A', the products ot' combustion take just the reverse course, and when steam is admitted to either of the generating-chambers it takes the same course through the supcrheater-chambers D D' as described with reference to the air-blast and products of combustion. The consequence of this operation is that while blowing up either generator-chamber the refractory material within the superheater -chambers D D becomes heated to a very high degree, and when steam is first turned on to either chamber it receives a considerable increment of heat from the refractory material in the superheaterchambers D D', and hence is more thoroughly decomposed. By the employment of these IOO IIO

chambers D Dvwe enable decomposition. of steam to be carried on for a longer time without blowing up the furnace, and we also insure a more thorough and complete decomposition of the steam and the production of a better and more perfect quality of gas than has been possible without these superlieaterchambers.

By the statementthat the superheater chambers D D are arranged between the generatorchambers A A we d o not mean that they are literally in the same vertical plane with and vbetween these generator-chambers, but that they are so connected with the generatorchambers that products of combustion and steam or products ot' decomposition have to pass through them in order to travel from one generator-chamber to the other.

From below the grates of the two generator.- chambers A A lead the main outlets e e for products ofcombustion and gas, and the course of the gas and products of combustion from each of the generator-chambers will he best understood from Fig. 2; The outlets e e may be closed by suitable covers, e2, as shown at the right handof Fig. 2, and these outlets communicate, through suitable valves, e, in valve-boxes EE, with a horizontal conduit portion, E, from which leads a vertical conduit portion, E3. The vertical conduit portion E3 is provided at the top with a purge-valve, e4, and an escape-pipe, E, for the products of combustion, and from the conduit portion-E3, at a point below the valve et, a branch conduit portion, E5, leads horizontally to the fixingchamber B and communicates therewith near the top.

The valves e3 in the valve-boxes E E may be of soapstone or other material which will not be injured by heat, and they may be operated by handles and connections e5, as shown at the right hand of Fig. 2. While blowing up the chamber A, or while admitting steam thereto for decomposition, the valve in -thebox E leading therefrom will be closed and the valve in the box E will be opened, while when blowing up the generator-chamber A or admitting steam thereto the valve in the box E will be closed and the valve in the box E will be opened. While blowin`g up either chamber the valve in thebox e* will be opened, so as to permit the products of combustion to escape freely through the pipe E4, and while decomposing steam the valve in the box e4 will be closed and the gas resulting from decomposition will pass through the branch or horizontal pipe E5 to the fixing-chamber B.

The vaporizer which we prefer to employ is afford a free passage forthe products of combustion and gas, in order to vaporize the hydrocarbon liquid which surrounds the tubes. From this vaporizer the hydrocarbon vapor passes through a pipe, f3, to a storage-tank, F', and this pipe j"3 also communicates with the conduit E, immediately above the vaporizer and under control of the valve f4.

While blowing up the generator-chambers thevalve]c4 is closed and the hydrocarbon vapor is stored within the tank or reservoir F; but when steam is first turned on to the generator-chambers for decomposition the valve f 4 is opened, and the volume of vapor stored within the tank F is-delivered to the conduit E3 to mingle with the gas passing through the same.

In some cases the heat from the products of combustion and the escaping gas will vaporize a greater quantity of hydrocarbon liquid than is desired, and in order to properly control the vaporization we provide a by-pass pipe, E6, which extends upward from the horizontal conduit portion E2, and communicates with the upright conduit E3 at a point above the vaporizer; and on thevaporizer ff', and also at the base ot' the by-piss pipe E5, are valves It h', which are arranged within suitable slideways i, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and which may be operated by suitable rods or stems, It". These valves may be of iire clay or other refractory material.

lf'while blowing up the generator-chambers it is found that the vaporization of hydrocarbon liquid is too rapid, the valve h', controlling the vaporizer, is closed, and the products of combustion and blast are caused to pass through the by-pass pipe E6 around the vaporizer. When all the heat of the products of combustion o r ot' decomposition are to be availed of for vaporization of the liquid, the valve l1, controlling the luy-pass pipe E, is closed, and the Valve h', controlling the passage through the tubes ff of the vaporizer, is opened.

We have shown the by-pass E(i as surrounded by an external jacket, j, which may be packed with scrapiron or other loose heatretaining material, j', and the steam which is to be employed for decomposition may be admitted to this jacket through a pipe, jz, and may pass from the upper part ofthe jacketthrough t-he pipe d to the perforated pipes b of the generator-chambers, to be therein decomposed, as

above described.

We are aware that it is not new to construct a generator with two fuel-chambers which are formedwithin a brick structure havingsuperheating-spaces Within its walls and a superheating chamber between the generatingchambers,and that both air for blowing up and i steam for decomposition have been passed through the superheating spaces and chamber before being admitted to thegenerating-chambers. The products of combustion or decomposition were in this apparatus not passed 5. The combination,with a double gas-gener tion of the conduit portion E2 with the conduit ator and the outlets therefrom for products of portionE3 and by-pass E, substantially as herero combustion and gas, and connected by thevalvein described.

boxes E E and the cross-conduit portion E?, CHAS. W. ISBELL. 5 of the upright conduit portion E3, containing WILLIAM H. TAYLOR.

a vaporizer, 'the by-paiss E6, connecting the con- Witnesses: duit portion E2 with the portion E3 above the C. HALL, Vaporizer, and valves h h at the communica! FREDK. HAYNES. 

